Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- victronconnect:mppt-solarchargers [2019-09-04 14:44] – tabreu
+++ victronconnect:mppt-solarchargers [2019-11-08 12:02] – [4.3 Streetlight settings] mvader
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 (If you are operating an [[http://https://www.victronenergy.com/live/ess:design-installation-manual|ESS]] (Energy Storage System) the charge time for this will be included in the 'Bulk' reading.)
+It is possible to export the history by clicking the three connected dots at the top right of the history screen.
 **Battery Voltage**\\
@@ Line 213: / Line 215: @@
 ==== 4.3 Streetlight settings ====
-{{:victronconnect:vc5_iphone_bluesolar_streetlight.png?direct&175|VictronConnect - MPPT Streetlight}}
+{{:victronconnect:vc5_iphone_bluesolar_streetlight2.png?direct&200|Streetlight settings}}
-The Streetlight function allows you to automatically control night lighting - it's duration, and brilliance. When the Streetlight function is enabled a timer program can be created whereby 'sunset' and 'sunrise' are used as the anchor points for the timer program. The advantage of this is that the programme will adjust itself to the duration of night-time as it changes with the season. Note that the internal clock will need a few days of uninterrupted operation to synchronize with sunrise and sunset and whilst this is happening a 12-hour day, and a 12-hour night will be assumed.
+=== Introduction ===
+The Streetlight function allows you to automatically control night lighting - it's duration, and brilliance. When the Streetlight function is enabled a timer program can be created whereby Sunset, Sunrise as well as Midnight can be used as the anchor points for the timer program. These anchor points will automatically adjust itself to the duration of night-time as it changes with the seasons.
+=== Streetlight, TX Pin, Relay as well as the Load output configuration ===
+For our smaller chargers, that have a set of dedicated load output terminals, the light can be powered from those terminals. For larger chargers, the TX can be used, as a 'virtual load output'. Or, for models having a relay, also the relay can be used. See TX Pin and Relay chapters for details.
+Note that, both for the real load output, and TX pin or Relay as 'virtual load output' the streetlight algorithm is applied in conjuction with the settings as configured in the Load output menu:
+If streetlight is disabled, then the (virtual) load output is controlled only by the configuration as made in the load output menu.
+If streetlight is enabled, then its an AND function: the load output will be on when both the condition made in the Load output menu are satisfied as well as the streetlight settings. Otherwise, its off.
+Therefore, in a streetlight application, the load output setting is typically set to either Always on, or to Battery life. Its is never configured to Always off as that will result in the light to be always off. For more configurable voltage levels to force the light off, the other load output options (conv alg., user alg.) can be used.
+=== Setting the Sunset action ===
 At sunset you can choose from the following actions:
-  - Take no action (light remains off).
+  * __Keep the lights off__
-  - Turn the light on, and then off after a chosen number of hours. Two dim-levels can be entered ...one for the "on" period; and a second for the "off" period. (Use 0% to switch the light off during the night).
+  * __Switch on for a fixed time__. This option will turn the light on at sunset, and then off after a configurable interval. When the dimming feature is enabled <sup>(1)</sup>, two dim-levels can be entered: one for the "on" period; and a second for the "off" period. A typical use case for these options is to get a strong light during high traffic hours (right after sunset), and lower intensity during the low hours, to save the battery. Set the second dim level to 0% to switch the light completely off during that second section.
-  - Turn the light on ...and then off at (solar) midnight. (Note that 12 o' clock midnight differs from the solar midnight - which is the mid-point between sunset and sunrise. The charger will need to operate for several days to synchronize with the solar activity in your area.) Two dim-levels can be entered: one for the "on" period (up to midnight) and a second dim-level for the "off" period after midnight. (Use 0 to switch the light off during the night).
+  * __Switch on till midnight__. This option turns the light on at sunset, and then off at midnight. When the dimming feature is enabled <sup>(1)</sup>, two dim-levels can be entered: one for the "on" period (up to midnight) and a second dim-level for the "off" period after midnight. Set the second dim level to 0% to switch the light completely off during that second section.
-  - Turn the light on, and then off at sunrise. Note when this option is chosen the sunrise control actions are no longer shown.
+  * __Switch on till sunrise__. This options turns the light on at sunset, and then off at sunrise. When this option is selected; there is no need to also select an action at sunrise, and therefore the sunrise control option will be hidden. When the dimming feature is enabled <sup>(1)</sup>, one dim level be configured, __Dim level at sunset__.
+<sup>1)</sup> the dimming feature requires the TX Port function to be configured to PWM. The dim level inputs are only available when the TX Port is configured accordingly. See chapter 4.4 below for details.
+=== Setting the Sunrise action ===
 At sunrise you can choose to:
-  - Turn the light off at sunrise.
+  * __Switch off__: Turns the light off at sunrise.
-  - Turn the light on for a chosen number of hours before sunrise; and then turn the light off at sunrise. Note that the charger needs to synchronize with the solar activity in order to predict the time of sunrise. This takes several days.
+  * __Switch on before sunrise__: This option switches the light on at a configurable time interval before sunrise; and then switches the light off at sunrise. In case the dimming feature is enabled <sup>(1)</sup>, this feature allows to configure a more intense light interval during early morning rush hours. Together with the Sunset action, you can now configure three dim levels: one at sunset rush hour, one during the low traffic hours, and the third on during the early morning rush hours.
-**FOR EXAMPLE:**
+=== Midnight is Solar midnight, and not 12 o' clock ===
-The selections which have been made on the iPhone screen image above (please click image for expanded view) will have the following effect on the Streetlight controls:
-  *//At sunset// - the light will be switched on for a fixed time
+The charger has no real time clock, and does not know when it is 12 o' clock at night. All references to midnight refer to what we call solar midnight: the mid-point between sunset and sunrise.
-  *//Dim level at sunset// - at Full brilliance (100%)
-  *//Keep lights on during// - the duration has been set to 1h 0m
-  *//Dim level at end// - at the end of one hour the brilliance will be reduced to half (50%)
-Also;
+=== Midnight and Sunrise synchronisation ===
-  *//At sunrise// - the lighting will be adjusted before sunrise
-  *//Time before sunrise// - at 1h 0m before sunrise, the following adjustment will be made:
-  *//Dim level// - full brilliance will be restored (100%)
+The (solar-) midnight and sunrise anchor points in the timer program need the charger to have its internal clock synchronised with the cycle of the sun.
-NB: This dim-levels menu only appears when the TX port function is set to PWM (see **4.4** below).
+After making your settings and powering up the charger, the charger will start unsynchronised: it assumes that midnight is 6 hours after sunset, and assumes that the full night is 12 hours.
-After making your settings the charger will use 'local time' for 5 days whilst synchronising with solar activity. During this period the charger should remain powered-up. If not, it will work on the assumption that midnight occurs 6 hours after sunset and will continue with this assumption until local synchronisation has taken-place.
+During synchronisation, the charger checks the time between each detected sunrise. After three full day/night cycles, where the detected time is approximately 24 hours (one hour of deviation is allowed), it will start using its internal clock; instead of the fixed 6 and 12 hour timing.
-The lighting controller (timer) program is written to non-volatile memory, so the program will remain intact when the charger is disconnected from the battery.
+Note that a loss of power will make the charger loose its synchronisation; it will take 5 days again to properly synchronise. Configuration settings are (ofcourse) stored and not lost, just like any other settings are always maintained during a loss of power.
+=== Sunset and sunrise detection ===
-When entering a 'switch-on' instruction a dim level can also be entered, this results in a signal  being sent to the TX port when the VE.Direct port is set to this mode (refer to Chapter **4.4** below).
+The Sunset and Sunrise detection voltage settings can be used to adjust the detection to match the panel configuration. The Sunrise detection voltage must be 0.5V higher than the Sunset detection level. The lowest detectable voltage is 11.4V. Set this option to 0 to use the built-in defaults, which are:
+  * Sunset = Vpanel < 11.4V
+  * Sunrise = Vpanel > 11.9V
+The default setting is 0, which uses built-in default voltages.
+Use the 'Delay' periods to avoid the system making an accidental switch when clouds passes over the panels. The valid range is between 0...60 minutes. These delays are disabled by default (0).
+=== Gradual dimming speed ===
+The gradual dimming option can be used to slow down the response of the timer program. This is useful when multiple streetlights are used in a row, and helps to mask the fact that each timer uses its own detection and the transition moment which will vary from unit to unit.
+The dimming settings can be adjusted. You can input the number of seconds required to achieve each percentage-point of change (x seconds/per 1% of dimming). The available setting parameters are 0 ...99
+* 0 = immediate response (gradual dimming disabled)
+  *A setting of '0' will achieve an immediate response - so the gradual dimming option is disabled.
+* 9 = dim from 0 to 100% in 15 minutes.
+    *Setting the dimming speed to 9, for example, slows down the dimming speed to 15 minutes (9 seconds for each percentage point of dimming x 100 percentage points = 900 seconds or 15 minutes.
+Note: Make sure the TX port function is set to Light dimming mode (as described in the next chapter) and connect a VE.Direct TX digital output cable to the PWM dim input of your LED driver.
 === Mid-point shift ===
@@ Line 264: / Line 298: @@
   * Degree of shift = time of sunset (in minutes) +half the duration of night (in minutes) - length of day (in minutes) = 1140m +342m-1440m = 42 minutes
-=== Night and day detection ===
+=== Example configuration ===
-Night/day detection voltage settings can be used to adjust the detection to match the panel configuration. The day detection voltage must be 0.5V higher than the night detection level. The lowest detectable voltage is 11.4V. Set this option to 0 to use the built-in defaults which are: Night = Vpanel<11.4V   Day = Vpanel>11.9V).
-The default setting is 0 (use built-in default voltages)
+The selections which have been made on below screen image (click to enlarge) result in this program:
-Using the 'Delay' periods for day/night changeover avoids the system making an accidental switch when clouds pass over the panels. The valid range is between 0...60 minutes. These delays are disabled by default (0).
+  *//At sunset// - the light will be switched on for a fixed time
+  *//Dim level at sunset// - at Full brilliance (100%)
+  *//Keep lights on during// - the duration has been set to 1h 0m
+  *//Dim level at end// - at the end of one hour the brilliance will be reduced to half (50%)
-=== Gradual dimming speed ===
+Also;
-The gradual dimming option can be used to slow down the response of the timer program. This is useful when multiple chargers are used in a row, and helps to mask the fact that each timer uses its own detection and the transition moment which will vary from unit to unit.
+  *//At sunrise// - the lighting will be adjusted before sunrise
+  *//Time before sunrise// - at 1h 0m before sunrise, the following adjustment will be made:
-The dimming settings can be adjusted. You can input the number of seconds required to achieve each percentage-point of change (x seconds/per 1% of dimming). The available setting parameters are 0 ...99
+  *//Dim level// - full brilliance will be restored (100%)
-* 0 = immediate response (gradual dimming disabled)
+{{:victronconnect:vc5_iphone_bluesolar_streetlight2.png?direct&200|Streetlight settings}}
-  *A setting of '0' will achieve an immediate response - so the gradual dimming option is disabled.
-* 9 = dim from 0 to 100% in 15 minutes.
-    *Setting the dimming speed to 9, for example, slows down the dimming speed to 15 minutes (9 seconds for each percentage point of dimming x 100 percentage points = 900 seconds or 15 minutes.
-Note: Make sure the TX port function is set to Light dimming mode (as described in the next chapter) and connect a VE.Direct TX digital output cable to the PWM dim input of your LED driver.
 ==== 4.4 Tx port function ====
 This setting defines the function of the Tx pin located inside the VE.Direct connector. Use the [[https://www.victronenergy.com/cables/ve-direct-tx-digital-output-cable|VE.Direct TX digital output cable, ASS030550500]] to access - and therefore receive signals from - the pin.